Automatic door controlling mechanism



March 11, w EB TE ET AL 2,588,597 AUTOMATIC DOOR CONTROLLING MECHANISMFiled April 5. 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet l I N V EN TOR. 1 1 5655 14 1555 7 56H KEN/V579 5 i561.

March 11, 1952 w WEBSTER ET AL 2,588,597

AUTOMATIC DOOR CONTROLLING MECHANISM Filed April 3, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet2 n 1 9 \J u Fan 5e March 1952 w. WEBSTER ET AL AUTOMATIC DOORCONTROLLING MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet '5 Filed April 3. 1947 I N VEN TOR.rvqeez/v [1/53572-16 {av/vary 1-. Eff/6 March 11, 1952 w WEBSTER ET AL2,588,597

AUTOMATIC DOOR CONTROLLING MECHANISM Filed April 3, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet4 Patented Mar. 11, 1952 AUTOMATIC DOOR CONTROLLING MECHANISM WarrenWebster and Kenneth E. Berk, Dayton,

Ohio, assignors to The Joyce-Cridland Company, Dayton, Ohio, acorporation of Ohio Application'April 3, 1947, Serial No. 739,132

13 Claims. 1

Thisinvention relates to an automatic door controlling mechanism for usewith a lifting mechanismof the type in which the load supportingstructure moves through a normally closed opening in a floor or thelike. The present apparatus is designed primarily for use with a twopostautomobile lift and is in the nature of an improvement on the doorcontrolling mechanism shown in theapplication fil d by Harold N.Grushon, July 12, 1946, Serial No. 683 281, and owned by the assignee ofthis application.

One object of the invention is to provide a door controlling mechanismwhich is simple in construction; which is highly efli'zient inoperation; which can be prod ced and installed at relatively low cost;and Which will require a relatively small pit under the floor.

.A further object of the invention is to provide such amechanism whichis controlled by the lifting mechanismand which, when the liftingmechanism is either raised or lowered, will open the doors, retain thesameopen until the load supporting structurev has passed through thefloor opening, and then close the doors.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a mechanism withmeans to inform the op erator'at a remote station whether the doors areopen or closed.

A further obj ct of the invention is to provide such a mechanism withmeans to inform said operator when thesuperstructure is me;predetermined position witnrel' tion to the'floor; 'andthus enable themovement of the lift to be stopned'and the axle-engaging elementsadjusted on the superstructure.

Other objects of the invention may app ar as the mechanism is-describedin detail. In the accompanying drawings;

Fig. 1 is aperspective-view of a two-post lift equipped with theinvention, showing the same connected with a source of fluid underpressure; Fig. 2 isa persp ctive view of a modified form of the sourceof fluid pressure;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the lifting mechanism for the front axleof an automobile, showing nism for the rear axle of the automobile,partly broken away,1showing'r-the same partially elevated and with thedoors in their open-positions;

Fig; 6 tea circuitzdiagramfon the signal. lights;

1 2 and Figs. 7 and 8 are detail views of the cam mechanism showing thecam in different positions.

In these drawings we have illustrated one embodiment of our invention,and have shownthe same in connection with a two-posthydraulicallyoperated automobile lift, but it is to be understood thatthe mechanism may take various forms and may be associated with liftingmechanism of various kinds. without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

The two-post lifting mechanism comprises a front lifting mechanismincluding a cylinder l0 adapted to be mounted below the floor orpavement on which the-automobile rests, and a lifting element or ram llmounted in said. cylinder and provided at its upper end with asuperstructure l2, which extends length ise of the front axle of theautomobile and is provided with axle engaging parts I 3. A rear liftingmechanism also includ s a cylinder l4 adapted tobe'mounted below thefloor, and a ram l5 mountedin said cylinder and having secured toitsupper end a superstructure comprisin a crosshead. l6 and a pair ofparallel rails l! extending transversely to the rear axleof theautomobile, and of such length as to accommodate the lift to automobilesof vario s lengths, that is, automobiles in which the front and rearaxles are spaced different distances one from the other. For thispurpose.'axle engaging elements [3 are mounted on the-respective rails Hfor adjustment lengt ise thereof; The cylinders iii and M are connectedby conduitsl9 and 26 with a so rc of'prcpellant fl id, s"ch as oil. Asshown in Fig. 1, the conduits are connected through separately o erablevalves 2 tand 22 with an oil tank 23, which .in turn is connected by aconduit 24 with a source of air under pressure. This air is admitted tothe tank by a manually operated-valve 25 to force the oil from the tankthrough one or both of the conduits l9 and 20,.as determined by thepositions of the valves 2! and 22. Any suitable source of oil supply maybe utilized, and in Fig. 2 there is shown an oil supply tank 26 of thetype in which a motor 2'! drives a pump within the tank,.not shown, toforce the oil through the conduits i9 and 20. The motor is controlled byswitch mechanism 28 and the .pumpmay be connected with either 'or' bothof. the conduits by, manually operated valves29 and 341..

'. vinlfigs. 3-and 4; the opening 31', through' which the frontsuperstructure passes. is of a size and shape to accommodate the frontsuperstructure l2, and is provided with a frame 32 embedded in theconcrete of the floor with its upper surface substantially flush withthe floor surface. A pit is provided below the floor and, as shown inFig. 4, is provided with a housing or liner secured to the frame 32 andhaving upright walls 33 and a bottom wall 34. The bottom wall isreenforced by a base plate 35, which constitutes a support for variousparts of the operating mechanism. The cylinder l extends through thebase plate 35 and the upper end thereof is spaced below the floor levelsuch a distance that when the lifting mechanism is in its lowermostposition the superstructure will be entirely below the floor. Theopening 3| is provided with a movable closure which, in the presentinstance, comprises a pair of doors 36, 31, hinged to the respectivelongitudinal edges of the frame 32 and so arranged that they will besubstantially flush with the frame when in their closed positions. Door36 comprises end portions 36a and 36b, and an intermediate portion 36c,and the door 31 is likewise divided into three portions. The endportions of each door are provided with lugs 38 which extend beneath therespective ends of the intermediate portion 360 of the door and causethat intermediate portion to move upwardly with the end portions butpermits the end portions to move downwardly independently of theintermediate portion, for a purpose which will hereinafter appear.

The movement of the doors to their open and closed positions iscontrolled by mechanism mounted in the pit and controlled by the liftingmechanism, the arrangement being such that upon the initial movement ofthe lift, from either its lowermost position or its uppermost position,the doors will be opened and held open until the superstructure haspassed, and will then be moved to their closed positions by thecontinued movement of the lift. This mechanism may take various formsbut in the present construction it involves crank mechanism connectedwith the respective doors and controlled by a cam, which in turn iscontrolled by the lift. In the particular arrangement shown, a rockshaft 39 is journaled in bearings 40 mounted on the base plate 35 andprovided with a curved portion 4! to permit the shaft to extend aboutthe cylinder l0. Mounted on the respective end portions of the shaft 39are chrank arms 42. which are connected by rods 43 with the respectiveend portions of the three-part door 31. Other shafts 44 and 45, mountedin bearings 46 and 41, are arranged parallel with and are spacedlaterally from the main shaft 39. Crank arms 48 on the respective shafts44 and 45 are connected by rods 48a with the end portions 36a, 36b, ofthe door 36. Crank arms 49 secured to the shaft 39 are connectedrespectively by links 50 with crank arms secured to the respectiveshafts 44 and 45, the arrangement being such as to cause the severalshafts to move simultaneously in the same direction.

comprises an elongate plate 55 having upper and lower edges oppositelyinclined at 56 and 51, and

having a vertical surface 58 connecting the inclined surfaces.

The cam is so arranged that when the lifting mechanism moves upwardlyfrom its lowermost position, as shown in Fig. 4, the upper inclinedsurface 56 of the cam will contact with the cam-engaging member 52 androck the shafts 39, 44, and 45 in a direction to move the doors to theiropen positions, it being understood that the three parts of each doormove in unison during the opening movement. When the doors have reachedtheir open positions, the vertical cam surface 58 engages thecam-engaging member and retains the doors in that position until thesuperstructure has passed above the floor. The continued movement of thelifting mechanism brings the lower inclined surface of the cam intocontact with the cam-engaging member and the crank mechanism moves indoor-closing direction. In the present arrangement, the doors when intheir open positions are slightly inclined inwardly and the weight ofthe doors and of the crank arms causes the doors to move toward theirclosed positions. However, during this movement, the intermediate parts360 and 310 of the doors will contact the ram, which will limit theirmovement toward closed positions but the end portions of the doors willmove to their closed positions. Thus, the major portion of the openingis fully closed by the end portions of the doors and that portion of theopening through which the ram and plunger extend is partially closed.When the lift is lowered, the lower cam surface 51 contacts thecam-engaging member on the shaft 39 and opens the doors, which are heldopen until the superstructure has passed through the opening and arethen closed in the manner above described. The intermediate portions ofthe doors, as well as the end portions thereof, move to fully closedpositions, thus completely closing the opening in the floor. The doors32 are provided with transverse reenforcing ribs 60 the outer ends ofwhich abut against bars or plates 6| which depend from the frame 32.Ordinarily, this arrangement provides a sufficiently strong support forthe doors, but if desired they may be further reenforced by a standardor standards 62 mounted on the base plate 35 and of such length thattheir upper ends will underlie and support the adjacent edges of thedoors when the latter are in their horizontal positions. Preferably, thestandard 52 is screw-threaded into a socket member 63 secured to thebase plate, to permit the standard to be adjusted to accurately positionthe upper end thereof with relation to the doors.

The opening for the rear lifting mechanism must be of a lengthsufficient to permit the passage of the rails l8 of the superstructure.To avoid an unnecessarily large opening in the floor, this rear openingis preferably H-shaped, as shown in Fig. 5, and comprises longitudinallyextending side openings 64 and E5 which are connected by a transverseopening 66, which is of relatively narrow width and permits the solidfloor to extend close to the ram on both the front and rear sidesthereof. Each of the longitudinal openings is provided with a singledoor 61, hinged at its outer edge to a, frame 68 which extends about theseveral parts of the opening. The transverse opening 65 is closed by apair of transverse doors 68 and 10, each of these doors comprising twoparts. In Fig. 5 the two parts of door are shown at 69a and 69b, thepart 69a havinga lug 69c rigidly secured thereto and extending beneaththe part 891).

Themechanism for operating the doors forthe rear lifting mechanism ispreferably similar to the mechanism foroperating the doors for the frontlifting mechanism, and as here shown it comprises arock shaft Hjournaled in bearings 72 on the base plate at the bottom of the pit, andis provided with crank arms 13 which are connected by rods 14 with therespective side doors 61. A crank arm 75 on the rock shaft ll isconnected by a rod 16 with the end portion of the transverse door notshown in Fig. 5,:and the crank arm T! carried by a second rock shaft 18is connected by a rod 19 with the end portion 69a of the transverse door69. Other crank arms 80 and 8| on the respective crank shafts areconnected by a link 82 to cau e the two shafts to move in unison. Theshaft H is operated bya cam 83, similar to cam above described, andcarried by a plunger 84 movable with. the? lift. A cam-engaging member85' on the shaft?! cooperates with the cam to cause the doors to bemoved to their open positions, and to be retained in those positionsuntil the superstructure has passed-through the openings, and thenmovedto their closed positions, in the same manner as above" described.

The adjustment of the axle-engaging elements I8 on the rails I? is besteffected when the rails are at floor level, or slightly above floorlevel. It is difiicult for the operator at the control station todetermine the exact position of the rails with re ation to the floorbecause they are obscured both by the automobile itself and by the doorsfor the respective openings. We have therefore provided a signal,controlled by the lifting mechanism, which will be energized when therails are in the desired positions and deepergized at all other times.Preferably, the signal is a visual signal and it is here shown as anelectric lamp mounted on or adjacent to the oil tank at the controlstation, as shown at 85 in Fig. 1. This lamp is connected with a sourceof electrical energy, not shown, by a switch 8! of a known constructionmounted on a fixed part adjacent the superstructure of the rear lift,and shown in Fig. 5 as mounted on the rear wall of the transverseopening in the floor. A. part 88, carried, in

the present instance, by the cross head it of the superstructure, isarranged to engage and close this switch when the rails reach thedesired position with relation to the floor, and to maintain the switchclosed until the rails move beyond that position.

It is also desirable to provide means for indicating to the operator atthe control station whether the doors. are open or closed, andadditional signal means are provided for this pur pose. In thearrangement shown, separate electric lamps 89' and 525 are mounted on oradjacent to the oil tank at the control station, these lamps being of acolor different from the color of the signal lamp 86. The lamp for thefront lift is connected with a source of electric energy by a switch 91,preferably of the push-button type, and so arranged that the button orplunger as will be urged toward its circuit closing position but will bemoved by the adjacent door to circuit opening position when the door ismoved to its closed position. Thus, when the door is open, the circuitof lamp 89 is closed, and when the door is'closed, that circuit'isopened. The circuit forthe' lamp'9l! for the doors-at therearliftiscontrolled by a similar switch 93- which, as here 6 shown, isarrangedto: be controlled by one of." the side doors 6'! in the same mannerasxswitch' 9| i's-controlled Thus, when any door is open or partiallyopen, one or both of the lamps 89" and 9% will be. energized, and whenall doors arefully closed, l both lamps will be deenergized.

While we have shown and described one em.- bodiment of our invention, wewish it to be understood that we do not desire to be limited to thedetails. thereof, as various modifications may occur to a. personskilled in the art.

Havingznow fully described our invention, what we claim as new anddesirev to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an apparatus for opening and closing a pit for a'liftingmechanism, said pit being adapted to receive theload supportingstructure of said lifting mechanism when the latter is in itslowermostpositiona movable closure for saidpit comprising a plurality ofdoors movable about separate axes, a shaft'mounted in thelower portionof saidpit, arms secured to said shaft, means connecting said arms withthe respective doors, and means controlled by the movement of saidloadsupportin'g structure in a single direction'to move said shaft in adirection to more said doors to open positions, to retain said doors insaid open positions until said load supporting structure has movedpastthe same, and to thereafter move said shaft in door closing direction.

2. In an apparatus for'opening and closing the pit of a liftingmechanisimsaid pit being adapted to receive the load supportingstructure of said lifting mechanism when the latter is in its lowermostposition, a closure for said'pit including parts supported at oppositesides of said pit for movement about parallel axes, a rock shaft mountedin said pit and extending transversely to the axes of said parts of saidclosure, arms secured to said shaft, means for operatively conmeetingsaid arms with said parts of said closure,

and means controlled by the movement of said load-supporting structurein a single direction for moving said shaft in a direction to move saidclosure to its open position and thereafter move said shaft in closureclosing direction.

3. In an apparatus for opening and closing'a pit for alifti-ngmechanism, said pit being adapted to receive the load supportingstructure of said lifting mechanism when the latter is in its lowermostposition, a closure for said pit including movable parts extending at anangle oneto the other, a rock shaft mounted in said pit, a crank arm onsaid shaft, means for connecting said ,arm with'one part of saidclosure, a second crank arm mounted in said pit independently of saidshaft, means actuated by said shaft for'operating said second arm, meansfor connecting-said second arm with another part of said closure, andmeans controlled by the movement of said load supporting structure in asingle direction to move said shaft in closure opening direction and tothen movesaid shaft in closure closing direction.

4. In an apparatus for opening and closing the pit of a liftingmechanism, said pit being adapted to receive the load supportingstructure of said lifting mechanism when the latter is in itslowermost'position, a closure for said pit comprising a plurality ofrelativelymovable parts, a, transverse shaft mounted in said'pit; meansactuated by said shaft to move the several parts of saidclosuresimultaneously in tlne'same direction, and cam me'ansconnectcdwith said lifting mechanism for movement thereby to rota-tesaidshaftfirst one direction" and" then in 'theother" di- 7 rection while saldlifting mechanism moves in a single direction.

5. In an apparatus for opening and closing the pit for a liftingmechanism, said pit being adapted to receive the load supportingstructure of said lifting mechanism when the latter is in its lowermostposition, a movable closure for said pit, crank mechanism mounted insaid pit for movement about an axis below the lower limit of movement ofsaid load supporting structure and transverse to the line of movement ofthe latter, an upright member directly connecting said crank mechanismwith a part of said closure, and means controlled by said liftingmechanism for moving said crank mechanism first in one direction andthen in the other direction while said load supporting structure movesin a single direction.

6. In an apparatus for opening and closing the pit for a. liftingmechanism, said pit being adapted to receive the load supportingstructure of said lifting mechanism when the latter is in its lowermostposition, a movable closure for said pit, crank mechanism mounted insaid pit for movement about an axis below the lower limit of movement ofsaid load supporting structure and transverse to the line of movement ofthe latter, an upright member directly connecting said crank mechanismwith a part of said closure, and a cam member secured to said loadsupporting structure, extending downwardly beyond the same and havingoppositely inclined parts to successively engage said crank mechanism.

'7. In an apparatus for opening and closin the pit for a liftingmechanism, said pit being adapted to receive the load supportingstructure of said lifting mechanism when the latter is in its lowermostposition, a closure for said pit comprising a plurality of parts movableabout separate axes, a rock shaft mounted in said pit below the lowerlimit of movement of said supporting structure, a plurality of crankarms secured to said shaft, upright members for operatively connectingsaid crank arms with the respective parts of said closure, a cam armsecured to said shaft, and a cam member connected with and extendingdown- -ward1y from said load supporting structure and having oppositelyinclined and vertically spaced cam surfaces to successively engage saidcam arms.

8. In an apparatus for opening and closing the pit for a liftingmechanism, said pit being adapted to receive the load supportingstructure of said lifting mechanism when the latter is in its lowermostposition, a closure for said pit comprising a plurality of separateparts movable about axes extending at an angle one to the other, tworock shafts mounted in said pit, means for connecting said rock shaftsone with the other for simultaneous movement in the same direction,crank arms secured to the respective shafts, means for operativelyconnecting crank arms on the two shafts respectively with parts of saidclosure which are movable about intersecting axes, a cam arm on one ofsaid shafts, and a cam movable with said lifting mechanism and adaptedto engage said cam arm and actuate said shafts.

9. In an apparatus for opening and closing the pit for a liftingmechanism, said pit being adapted to receive the load supportingstructure of said lifting mechanism when the latter is in its lowermostposition, a closure for said pit comprising two parts, movablerespectively about separate axes and movable by gravity from their openpositions to their closed positions, a rock shaft in said pit, crankarms on said shaft, upright members operatively connecting said crankarms with the respective parts of said closure to move the lattersimultaneously in the same direction, and means controlled by themovement of said lifting mechanism for actuating said shaft in closureopening direction and to thereafter release said shaft for movement inclosure closing direction.

10. In combination with a lifting mechanism of the type comprising avertically movable ram mounted in a pit below an opening in a floor, anda superstructure carried by said ram and movable, into said pit whensaid ram moves to its lowered position, selfclosing doors pivotallysupported at the upper end of said it for movement to positionssubstantially flush with said floor to close said opening and toupwardly extending positions to permit tlce movement of saidsuperstructure through said opening, a rock shaft in the lower portionof said pit extending transversely to said ram, crank arms on saidshaft, upright members connecting said crank arms with the respectivedoors, and means controled by the movement of said superstructure ineither direction toward said door to move said shaft first in dooropening direction and to thereafter release the same for movement indoor closing direction during the continued movement of saidsuperstructure in one direction;

11. In combination with a lifting mechanism of the type comprising avertically movable ram mounted in a pit below an opening in a floor, anda superstructure carried by said ram and movable into said pit when saidram moves to its lowered position, selfclosing doors pivotally supportedat the upper end of said pit for movement to positions substantiallyflush with said floor to close said opening and to upwardly extendingpositions to permit the movement of said superstructure through saidopening, a rock shaft in the lower portion of said pit extendingtransversely to said ram, crank arms on said shaft, upright membersconnecting said crank arms with the respective doors, a cam arm on saidshaft, and an elongate member connected with said superstructure,extending into said pit and having vertically spaced cam surfaces tosuccessively engage said cam arm and move said shaft first in dooropening direction and thereafter release the same for movement in doorclosing direction.

12. In combination with a lifting mechanism of the type comprising avertically movable ram mounted in a pit below an opening in a floor, anda superstructure carried by said ram and movable into said pit When saidram moves to its lowered position, selfclosing doors pivotally supportedat the upper end of said pit for movement about intersecting axes topositions substantially flush with said floor to close said opening andto upwardly extending positions to permit the movement of saidsuperstructure through said opening, crank mechanism in the lowerportion of said pit including a cam arm, means for operativelyconnecting said crank mechanism with each of said doors, and an elongatemember connected with said superstructure, extending into said pit andhaving vertically spaced cam surfaces to successively engage said camarm when said superstructure approaches the closed doors from above orbelow and to move said crank mechanism in door opening direction and tothereafter release the same for movement 13. In combination 'with alifting mechanism;

adapted to be mounted below an opening in a floor and including a loadsupporting structure} and means for moving said structure through saidopening, axle engaging means adjustaloly supported on said structure,remote meansjor controlling the operation of said lifting mechanism, amovable closure for said opening, means controlled by the movement ofsaid lifting mechanism in either direction to open said closure duringthe initial movement of said mechanism and to close said closure duringthe final movement of said mechanism, and a signal controlled by saidmechanism for informing an operator at said controlling means when saidaxle engaging means projects slightly above the floor.;;

WARREN WEBSTER. KENNETH E. BERK;

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

